King Charles to Return to Public Duties as Palace Shares Major Update on His Health amid Cancer Treatment

The King, 75, will visit a cancer treatment center with Queen Camilla as the palace says he is "greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties"

King Charles is gearing up for a return to public-facing royal duties after revealing his cancer diagnosis in February.

Buckingham Palace shared an encouraging update about the monarch's health on April 26, announcing that King Charles, 75, will visit a cancer treatment center to meet medical specialists and patients with Queen Camilla, 76, on April 30. It's understood that the center has not been directly involved with the King's medical care.

The palace added that the outing will be the first of several engagements planned for the King in the coming weeks, including hosting a state visit at Buckingham Palace for the Emperor and Empress of Japan in late June.

After beginning cancer treatment, King Charles postponed public duties but continued to work behind the scenes and undertake meetings including small audiences at Buckingham Palace. However, a royal source previously told PEOPLE that the monarch's desire to work was "wholly undiminished" with his nephew Peter Phillips revealing in an interview that his uncle was "frustrated" by his limitations.

“He is always pushing, his staff and everybody and his doctors and nurses to be able to say, 'Actually, can I do this? Can I do that?' " Peter said. “So the overriding message would be that he's obviously very keen to get back to a form of normality. And he's probably frustrated that, recovery is taking a little longer than probably he would want it to."

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said that King Charles' cancer treatment will continue, but "doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that The King is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties."

Related: A Complete Timeline of King Charles' Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

The King will continue all official state business and select audiences in addition to adding public outings to his agenda, but he will not have a full summer schedule, according to the palace. His appearance at Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration and parade marking the British monarch's birthday in London, on June 15 is still unconfirmed, in addition to other highlights on the royal calendar such as Royal Ascot in June and palace garden parties in May.

"Any public-facing engagements will be announced nearer the time in the usual way and will remain subject to doctors’ advice," the palace spokesperson said.

"His Majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise," the spokesperson added.

Related: King Charles' New Portrait Has a Close Connection to Kate Middleton and Prince William's Kids

The latest health announcement was accompanied by a new portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla, taken to mark the first anniversary of the coronation approaching on May 6. The snap was taken in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on the morning of April 10, the day after the couple's 19th wedding anniversary, by portrait photographer Millie Pilkington.

Pilkington also got behind the camera last year to snap the official birthday pictures of Kate Middleton and Prince William's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. She also snapped the image of the Prince of Wales surrounded by his sons and daughter that was released last year to celebrate Father's Day.

King Charles was most recently seen spending time with Queen Camilla in Scotland. On April 21, what would have been Queen Elizabeth's 98th birthday, the couple were photographed in a car after attending church at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle, where the royal family traditionally gathers in the summer months.

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The sovereign made his first major public appearance since his cancer revelation at Easter. After attending a church service at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle with Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family, he greeted well-wishers outside by shaking hands and wishing them a happy holiday.

A royal source told PEOPLE last month that King Charles was "progressing well" in his cancer treatment and there is an "amplified confidence" amid the sophisticated treatment receiving.

"He is positive, the doctors are optimistic," the source said.

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